The Republican journal., 1887-10-13
The Women and Temperance.

The Maine branch of the Womans Christian
Temperance Union, following the lead of the
National Union, endorses the Third Partv
thus declaring in effect that in the opinion of
the majority of its members the cause of tenn
perance can best he promoted through dis
tinct political organization. In view of the
fact that there has never been a Third Party in
| this Stltc of any considerable dimensions, vet
nevertheless prohibition has been the settled
policy of the State for thirty years, and is 50
firmly established to-day that neither OF the eX-
i>ting parties ever attacks il in its PLATFORM
such declaration is, to say the least, surpri,-
ing.
The Third Party in Maine has seldom been
strong enough to elect single representative
| to the Legislature. yet Maine has the most rig
orous prohibitOry law in the Union. and the
most vigorously enforced, and hardly a session
| of legislature passes without additions being
made to il to give it more strength. Compai-
ing the situation regards Temperance, in
Maine with the condition of things that pre-
walls in other States where there have been
large Third Parties for years, it is difficult to
see how the women of Maine arrived at the
! conclusion that the best way to promote the
interests of prohibition is through a distinct
political organization. Ohio has had Il large
and lively Third Party for many years. But it
has Tot succeeded i'll putting prohibition into
the Constitution or on to the statute book. The
same is true of New York and Massachusetts.
and many other States But in Maine. without
a Third Party large enough to exercise any
considerable influence, prohibition has been
placed on the statute book AMI in the ton>titll-
ton. How does it happen. them that iii the
opinion of the women of Maine a Third Party
is the best way to promote the interests Of
temperance:
But they say the prohibitory law is not en-
forced. That is true of Il few of the larger
places, hut it is not true of the great majority
of the towns in the state. In the great ma
ority of them it is rs we'll enforced as the
other laws. But how will Third Party con-
| tribute to lis enforcement in those places where
it is now neglected: The trouble in those
places is that Il large number of the people are
indifferent TO the law. Now the mere collection
OF all the ProhI 'iiionis's into distinct party,
even if that We're possible. would not reduce
the number of these indifferent people. There
would he the same obstacles to encounter then
that exist now. Any movement that will in
crease the friends of the rrohihtory law will
strengthen its enforcement. But third par
ty, started with the avowcd intention of SMASH
ing the other parties. will not do that. Indeed
it will have rather the opposite effect.
The Woman's Christian Temperance Union
of Maine hitherto has undoubtedly been inllu-
| cntia i'll strengthening prohibition. 1t has
| kept the people alive to the dangers of iutem-
perance and has been Instrumental in educating
| both yonng and old in the way that they should
| go. 1t now proposes to embark upon the
stormy of politics. Such a course Will in
| evitably rouse anta@oni,m, that will be ter-
mental to its work. The temperance men who
are identified with the old parties. must needs
| be something more than human to give cor
| dial support to the Union after it has allied it.
self with 4 movement which many believe is
| inspired as much by the personal ambition of
its leaders as by any desire to promote the in
| nf iln IL
| from such questionable alliance. Portland
| Press